Shannon Kelly

Proper 12, Year A, Old Testament Lesson

Scripture: Genesis 29:15-28

The Book of Genesis provides the foundational stories of our faith: God’s calling of a people; their often-failed responses to Him; and God’s steadfast love throughout. The Abraham saga tells of the formation of the nation of Israel, beginning with the faithfulness of its patriarch, Abraham. Although disillusioned with the wickedness of men, God separates out one family line to bring divine blessing to all subsequent families of the world. Abraham, the model of absolute faithfulness, trust, and obedience, is symbolic of Israel’s idealized self. At the request of God, Abraham leaves his homeland travels to a promised land. God promises him an heir even though Abraham and his wife Sarah are long past childbearing age and Sarah gives birth to Isaac. Isaac marries Rebekah who gives birth to twins, Esau and Jacob. Jacob tricks his brother Esau out of his birthright and blessing. Jacob then leaves his home for two reasons: Esau wants to harm him and his parents want him to take a wife from among their own people. Today’s story highlights marriage customs of the time: multiple wives, a bride price, and older daughters having to wed before younger. It sets the stage for the growth of Israel into twelve tribes.

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Proper 12, Year A

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-33,44-52

Today, we have a series of parables from Jesus. All of them tell us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not what we would expect, that God does amazing things with the small, that God does the unexpected, that God is doing a new thing with both the old and the new.

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Proper 11, Year A, Old Testament Lesson

Scripture: Genesis 28:10-19

The Book of Genesis provides the foundational stories of our faith: God’s calling of a people; their often failed responses to Him; and God’s steadfast love throughout. The Abraham saga tells of the formation of the nation of Israel, beginning with the faithfulness of its patriarch, Abraham. Although disillusioned with the wickedness of men, God separates out one family line to bring divine blessing to all subsequent families of the world. Abraham, the model of absolute faithfulness, trust, and obedience, is symbolic of Israel’s idealized self. At the request of God, Abraham leaves his homeland travels to a promised land. God promises him an heir even though Abraham and his wife Sarah are long past childbearing age and Sarah gives birth to Isaac. Isaac marries Rebekah who gives birth to twins, Esau and Jacob. Jacob tricks his brother Esau out of his birthright and blessing. Jacob then leaves his home for two reasons: Esau wants to harm him and his parents want him to take a wife from among their own people. This is also an etiological story that explains the significance of Bethel as an important place of worship. Bethel means ‘house of God.’ The phrase ‘the gate of heaven’ suggests the ancient view that a sanctuary was a place where God came down to meet the people.

Download the Old Testament Lesson for Proper 11, Year A

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Proper 11, Year A

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Jesus continues to engage in parables as he explores what the kingdom of God is like. The Gospel lesson for today focuses on the empire vs. God. The key message is that we are not to be the ones judging, but that it is God’s judgment in the end that matters. We are to let things grow as they will and God will sort it out in the end. In our lesson today we will focus on the first part of the Gospel lesson and let the children engage in thinking about what it means rather than listening to Jesus’ explanation that was given to the disciples. You can understand Jesus’ point without having to get into end-times language.

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Proper 10, Year A, Old Testament Lesson

Scripture: Genesis 25:19-34

The Book of Genesis provides the foundational stories of our faith: God’s calling of a people; their often failed responses to Him; and God’s steadfast love throughout. The Abraham saga tells of the formation of Israel, beginning with the faithfulness of its patriarch Abraham. Although disillusioned with the wickedness of men, God separates out one family line to bring divine blessing to all subsequent families of the world. Abraham, the model of absolute faithfulness, trust, and obedience, is symbolic of Israel’s idealized self. At the request of God, Abraham has left his homeland to travel to a promised land. God promises him an heir, even though Abraham and his wife Sarah are long past childbearing age, and Sarah gives birth to Isaac. In a test of faith, God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham passed God’s test of faith and God spared Isaac. Abraham sends his servant with gifts and camels to the Mesopotamian city of Nahor to seek a wife for Isaac. Isaac marries Rebekah who gives birth to twins, Esau and Jacob.

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Proper 10, Year A

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

We skip from Chapter 11 in Matthew to Chapter 13. Chapter 12 is important because this is where Jesus is being challenged over and over by various groups of people. What we are reading today is some of the response to those ongoing challenges. Jesus uses parables to teach as well as deal with conflict that is around him. The parable of the sower has many layers and much to discuss with no easy answers for us, and that is where we will begin our discussion today.

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Proper 9, Year A

Scripture: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Today’s lesson comes from a section in Matthew where John the Baptist and Jesus are talking about what Jesus’ ministry is going to be. John the Baptist had a different picture of what Jesus’ ministry would bring to the world. People are comparing what John had said and what Jesus was doing and wondering about their ministry. We hear Jesus’ response in our passage today. Jesus recognizes John’s ministry and at the same time, he tells people that his ministry is different. John’s ministry was filled with austerity (no food and drink) as it is a period of waiting and repentance, and Jesus’ ministry is filled with celebration (eating and drinking) as it is the time of fulfillment.  The final verses lead us to see that Jesus’ ministry is also full of compassion and mercy.

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Proper 9, Year A, Old Testament Lesson

Scripture: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67

The Book of Genesis provides the foundational stories of our faith, God’s calling of a people, and their often-failed responses to God and God’s steadfast love throughout. The Abraham Saga tells of the formation of the nation of Israel, beginning with the faithfulness of its patriarch Abraham. Although disillusioned with the wickedness of humanity, God separates out one family line to bring divine blessing to all subsequent families of the world. Abraham, the model of absolute faithfulness, trust, and obedience is symbolic of Israel’s idealized self. At the request of God, Abraham has left his homeland to travel to a promised land. Abraham has entertained angels unaware and trusted God’s promise of him an heir even at the advanced old age of he and his wife Sarah. Abraham trusted in God and made the sacrifices God asked of him. God kept the promise of making a great nation from Abraham. Abraham and Sarah’s son grew up and it was time for Isaac to get married. Abraham makes his servant swear an oath that he will not find a wife for Isaac from the Canaanite people (who had corrupt religious practices), but from one of Abraham’s relatives. So the servant sets out with gifts and camels to the city of Nahor to seek a wife for Isaac. Before he leaves he seeks God’s guidance and blessing on his mission.

Download the Old Testament Lesson Plan for Proper 9

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Proper 8, Year A, Old Testament Lesson

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14

There are many difficult stories in the Bible that are the stories of the relationship with God and a growing self understanding as God’s people. And we read this one with the perception and understanding of the faithful who remembered and told the story throughout the ages. These Biblical truths are not unlike the hard lessons we sometimes learn in fables or morality plays: Life is not always fair. Things are not always easy – even when we do what is right – and God can seem like a hard taskmaster or judge. And what the writers of Genesis saw as God’s testing of Abraham is not easy to digest.  Adults can often use metaphor to see the lesson for us.  For children this is harder. Be sensitive to these issues and shape the lesson for your own context.

The Book of Genesis provides foundational stories of our faith, God’s calling of a people, their often-failed responses to God, and God’s steadfast love throughout. The Abraham saga tells of the formation of Israel, beginning with the faithfulness of its patriarch Abraham. Although disillusioned with the wickedness of human beings, God separates out one family line to bring divine blessing to all subsequent families of the world. Abraham, the model of absolute faithfulness, trust and obedience, is symbolic of Israel’s idealized self. At the request of God Abraham has left his homeland to travel to a promised land. He has entertained angels unaware and trusted God’s promise of an heir even at an advanced age.

Download the Old Testament Lesson Plans for Proper 8

LPTW Proper 8, Year A, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 8, Year A, Older Children, Old Testament

Proper 7, Year A, Old Testament Lesson

Scripture: Genesis 21:8-21

There are many difficult stories in the Bible that are the stories of the relationship with God and a growing self understanding as God’s people. And we read this one with the perception and understanding of the faithful who remembered and told the story throughout the ages. These Biblical truths are not unlike the hard lessons we sometimes learn in fables or morality plays: Life is not always fair. Adults can often use metaphor to see the lesson for ourselves.  For children this is harder.   Be sensitive to these issues and shape the lesson for your own context.

The Book of Genesis provides foundational stories of our faith, God’s calling of a people, their often failed responses to God, and God’s steadfast love throughout. The Abraham saga tells of the formation of Israel, beginning with the faithfulness of its patriarch Abraham. Although disillusioned with the wickedness of human beings, God separates out one family line to bring divine blessing to all subsequent families of the world. Abraham, the model of absolute faithfulness, trust and obedience, is symbolic of Israel’s idealized self. At the request of God Abraham has left his homeland to travel to a promised land. He has entertained angels unaware and trusted God’s promise of an heir even at an advanced age. Today’s story is a prelude to the sacrifice of Isaac, with the sacrifice of Ishmael, the son of Hagar.

Download the Old Testament Lesson Plan for Proper 7

LPTW Proper 7, Year A, Younger Children, Old Testament
LPTW Proper 7, Year A, Older Children, Old Testament